Another Twitter football fan, Paul Bonds of Jackson (@beanfruitcoffee), noted the trio of games: "Weekend of miracles: State beat Ole Miss, Auburn beat Alabama & Southern Miss won a game."

On Facebook, Jamie Walker Martin of Hattiesburg said, "I seriously just cried over that victory (and I didn't even cry at my own wedding)! It's a great day to be a Golden Eagle! #SMTTT!"

But the Golden Eagles' victory wasn't just about winning a game. It was about the drive, the commitment and the teamwork that led them to shake off the losses and put the team back on an uphill course.

Perseverance, persistence and a pivotal play paid off.

Freshman quarterback Nick Mullens connected with Marquise Ricard on the back end of a flea-flicker from 37 yards out, which put the Eagles up 41-21 - a play Mullens wanted to check out of before it was run, head coach Todd Monken said.

Monken was able to convince him otherwise, and the rest was history.

"I was close," Mullens said. "But coach said, 'We've got a touchdown on this one.' They knew it, so we went with it. It was awesome. Big plays like that get your team going."

But the defense also contributed to Saturday's win.

"We got tired of everybody talking about the Southern Miss defense giving up points," Southern Miss freshman defensive lineman Dylan Bradley said. "We said we're just going to go out and bring that 'Nasty Bunch' style of football back to Southern Miss."

The team played its heart out, and fans were ready to show their appreciation. Hundreds of Golden Eagle fans waited in the cold and dark Saturday for the team to return home, so they could share in the joy of winning.